ving Grace and her mother
together.

"And I was so hoping," said Betty as she closed the door softly and
Mollie flung herself on the bed, "that it would be good news."

"Yes," said Mollie, staring moodily out the window, "it does seem that
everything terrible that can happen to us is happening all at once. I
wonder what's next."

"There isn't going to be any next," said Betty, but in her heart she was
not so sure. Almost everyone in the world was suffering, one way or
another, and it was only to be expected that they would get their full
share.

And as she thought of Allen a hot wave of fear went over her, leaving
her faint and sick. Out there in the very thickest of the fight, it
would be a miracle if he should be saved to come back to her.

But he must come back, he _must_ come back, her heart cried over and
over again. Hadn't he said he would? And Allen always kept his word.

Then she shook herself, and with an effort brought her wandering thought
back to this new trouble--or rather, confirmation of an old one.

From the time Mrs. Ford had received the telegram telling of Will's
wound, they had hoped against hope that it had been a mistake, or that
at least, the wound had not been serious.

But this new report from Washington seemed to put an end to that hope,
and there was nothing to do but to face the terrible reality. Will was
seriously wounded in some hospital in France, and, as Grace had said,
that might mean that even now he was in a critical condition, perhaps,
for all they knew, he had died out there away from all his dear ones and
the friends that loved him.

"I don't suppose there is any use acting as though he were dead
already," said Mollie, breaking in upon her unhappy reverie. "There have
been several thousand wounded soldiers over there who have recovered."

"Yes, only to be sent back again to the firing line and have it done all
over," said Betty bitterly, for, for a time at least, her staunch
optimism had deserted her and she was ready to see the blackest side of
everything.

"Yes, it does seem that once a soldier has gone down to the very gates
of death, he should be exempted," sighed Mollie, adding dispiritedly:
"But I suppose if they made that a rule they wouldn't have any armies
left after awhile."

"And the boys themselves don't want to be exempted," said Betty, feeling
a little thrill of pride in spite of her heartache. "Their one biggest
reason for getting well is to be able to